EconomyOther Economy

EETS Should Solve Incompatibility of EU\'s Toll Systems

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - The incompatibility of road-toll systems in EU countries remains a problem, participants agreed at the roundtable discussion on Slovakia's road-toll system and its readiness for inter-operability organised by the Transport Research Institute (VUD) in Bratislava on Monday. The situation should be solved by a European Electronic Toll Service… read more

Novaky Municipality Welcomes Decision to Sell NChZ But Only As A Whole

Novaky, May 17 (TASR) - According to Novaky (Trencin region) local administration chairman Jan Martina, the municipality welcomes the decision of Novaky Chemical Works (NChZ) committee of creditors to launch the sale of this joint-stock company, which went bankrupt in October, he told TASR on Monday. According to Martina it is important that the NChZ situation will finally… read more

Direct Flights From Bratislava to Warsaw Possible Again as of Monday

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - Bratislava's Milan Rastislav Stefanik Airport is connected to the Polish capital Warsaw as of Monday thanks to direct flights operated by LOT Polish Airlines. Passengers will be able to fly daily apart from on Saturdays - at 11.45 a.m. from Warsaw and at 1.45 p.m. from Bratislava. LOT also points out that Slovaks will gain good access to flights… read more

Flights From Bratislava to Dublin and Bristol Cancelled Due to Volcano Ash

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - Planes operated by Irish low-cost airline Ryanair from Bratislava's Milan Rastislav Stefanik Airport (BTS) to the Irish capital Dublin and the British city of Bristol were cancelled on Monday due to ash from the Icelandic volcano. "Air carriers haven't told us about any further flight cancellations. The situation is developing, however, and… read more

More than Half of Companies Expect Market Conditions to Improve

Bratislava, May 16 (TASR) - More than half of the companies in Slovakia expect market conditions to improve this year, says the April's 'Companies' Perspective on the Market' survey carried out by GfK Slovakia. Even though the global crisis has significantly affected about two-fifths of the business sector, 66 percent of companies included in the survey expect their turnover… read more

Kia Motors Presents Engine Plant to Premier Fico

Teplicka nad Vahom, May 14 (TASR) - South Korean car-maker Kia Motors gave visiting Slovak Premier Robert Fico a tour of its currently-under-construction second engine plant in Teplicka nad Vahom (Zilina region) on Friday. In-Kyu Bae, president of Kia Motors' Slovak unit, said that the construction of the plant, which will help increase engine output in Slovakia, will… read more

Businessmen Present Wish List to Political Parties

Bratislava, May 14 (TASR) - Businessmen in Slovakia have presented their so-called Wish List 2010, which contains the most important requirements of the business sector, and sets out the key priorities for boosting the business environment in the country. The ten points in the Wish List include the need to sustain Slovakia's macroeconomic stability via cutting the public… read more

UNAS Takes Legal Action Against State and NDS Over Road-toll System

Kosice, May 14 (TASR) - The Union of Slovak Road Hauliers (UNAS) on Friday filed legal action at Bratislava I District Court against Slovakia and the National Highway Company (NDS) for what it described as the poorly thought-out, unprepared and unjust toll collection under the electronic road-toll system introduced earlier this year. According to UNAS chair Miroslav Polacek… read more

Fico: Energy Production Using Renewable Sources Should Go Up By 20%

Martin, May 13 (TASR) - Slovakia has made serious commitments vis-a-vis the EU when it comes to renewable energy sources, Slovak Premier Robert Fico said at the Martinska Teplarenska (MT) heating company headquarters on Thursday. Fico took part in the ceremonial operational launch of the new fluid 60 MW boiler, designed to incinerate biomass. The purpose, according to… read more

Inflation in April Accelerated to Level of August 2009 - 1.3 percent

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - Slovakia's inflation rate stood at 0.4 percent month-on-month in April, bringing the annual rate to 1.3 percent, which was last seen in August 2009, the Slovak Statistics Office said on Thursday. Core inflation, which excludes the effects of administrative measures such as hikes in regulated prices and excise taxes, and net inflation (core… read more

Addressing Unemployment Key Priority Across Political Spectrum

Bratislava, May 12 (TASR) - The unfavourable development of the employment rate in Slovakia, interconnection of the labour market and education or abuse of the social system by the long-term unemployed were discussed at a conference organised by the Employment Institute on Wednesday in Bratislava. The conference was attended by representatives of Coalition, Opposition… read more

EU Commission to Decide on EIB Loan for D1 Motorway Next Week

Bratislava, May 12 (TASR) - Slovakia said on Wednesday that it will have secured all the finances needed to build the D1 motorway before May 18, by which time the European Commission has agreed to have the European Investment Bank (EIB) lend one-quarter of the €4 billion bill if the country has resolved specified environmental issues. "The European Commission and the… read more

Slovakia\'s Foreign Trade Posted €176.3-million Surplus in March

Bratislava, May 12 (TASR) - Slovakia's foreign trade showed a surplus of €176.3 million in March, compared with a surplus of €23.3 million in the same month of 2009, and of €53.6 million a month earlier, according to preliminary results released by the Slovak Statistics Office on Wednesday. Exports were up by an annual 19 percent to €3.98 billion in March, while… read more

Stats Office Preliminary Estimate - GDP Grew by 4.6 percent in 1Q10

Bratislava, May 12 (TASR) - According to a quick estimate published by the Statistics Office on Wednesday, the Slovak economy grew by 4.6 percent y-o-y in the first quarter of this year. This is the first registered growth in Slovak GDP since 4Q08. The Slovak economy registered a significant drop in production in 2009, caused by the lack of foreign demand due to… read more

Environmentalists Take Issue with Dispersal of State Fund Funds

Bratislava, May 11 (TASR) - The state-run Environment Fund granted hundreds of thousands of euros in subsidies for another obscure organisation for environment-related activities after the Environment Minister Jozef Medved met with the Fund's president Roman Kovac earlier on Tuesday. The Aktualne.sk internet portal said on its website that the civic association calling… read more